Endless conveyer.



PATENTED APR. 16, 1907;

- F. A. SMULDBRS.

ENDLESS GONV-EYER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.5, 1907.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

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5 m, qmmwmi PATBNIEDHAPR. 16,3507? P. A. M. SMULDERS.

ENDLESS GGNVEYER.

APPLICATION FILED I'EB.5,1907.

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. ALT, I 11 I I I I I I I I I z I 1 I I I I I I I I I r r I 1 I 1 r I II I PATENTED APR. 16, 1907.

F. A. M. SMULDBRS.

ENDLESS GONVEYER. APPLIOATION FILED PEB.5. 1907.

s SEEE'MFSHEET 3.

w X w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS 'ANToN MARIE .sMULDERs, OF ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS.

' ENDLESS CONVEYER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 5, 1907. Serial No. 355,900.

Patented April 16, 1907.

. veyers, of which the following 'is a specifica- My present inventionpertains to improvements in endless conveyers the constructlon andadvantages of which W111 be heremafter set forth in detail,reference-being had to the annexed drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a part of the conveyer and one of the driving-wheels, thelatter and a portion of the conveyer being shown in section; Fig. 2, atransverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 2 2, Fig. 1;

Fig; 3, a top plan view, a portion of the buckets being bro thetrack-clearer; Fig. 4:, a perspective view of one of the bucket members;Fig. 5, a detail sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 a perspective view of a'second bucket member.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple and efficientendless carrier, designed more particularly for use'in transporting coal01'. other minerals and the The buckets for containin the material aremounted upon endless c ains or belts, which ass about sprocket-wheels ordrums located atfthe opposite ends of the run and at intermzdiatepoints, if so desired, the

buckets b ing of peculiar construction, as

will be hereinafter set forth in detail.

Referring to the drawings, A denotes one of the driving-shafts, adjacentto each end of which is mounted a block or casting B, se-

cured to the shaft in any suitable manner, so as to rotate therewith.The block or casting is substantially rectangular in cross-section andis provided upon each side with outwardly-projecting lugs (J, theadjacent faces of which are paralle while the outer faces are inclinedoutwardly, so as to form a substantially dovetailed member. Mounted uponeach face "of the block B is a sprocket .member 1), said member beingrovided with slots or ways of substantially t e same form as the lugs (Jand adapted to receive the same, said slots or ways being made slightlylarger than the lugs, so as to provide for the reception of wedges orgibs E, which are en away to show the chain and driven in between lugs Cand the member D. Said member is provided with a pair ofoutwardly-extending teeth F F, which pass between the ends of the pairedlinks G and embrace the single links H of the chain. The a face of themember between said teeth or lugs 1s inchned outwardly in each directionfrom the center, as denoted at F*. The conjoining portions of themembers D areprovided with inclined faces F such faces and the faces Freventing the accumulation of material on t e wheel or drum. Thepivotalconnection between the link H and the paired links G is made by a rod 1,which passes through the links and extends outwardly beyond the same toprovide a su port or axle for a roller or wheel J. Said w eels areadapted to rest and move upon rails or tracks K, and thus hold the chainout of contact with the tracks and roperly position the paired linkswith "re erence to the sprocket-teeth F F of the driving wheels ordrums.

A clearer (best shown in Figs. land 3 is secured to the chain andoverlies the track, serving to remove therefrom any coal or othermaterial which Ina overshoot the buckets as thesame are filled or comeupon the tracks in any other manner. The clearer in the form illustratedcom rises a block L, the forward narrow end of w 'ch is fulcrumed upon apin M, secured to one of the links G. The rear end of the clearer is ofa height equal to that of the diameter of the wheels J, and both edgesthereof are provided with beveled faces N, inclined inwardly or awayfrom the supportingmember upon which the track is mounted, so as todeflect any material from the track into the tunnel or other spacethrough which the endless carrier travels.

In order to prevent the clearer from dropping down upon thesprocket-wheel or becoming entangled with any other portion of themechanism, 1 provide a pivotpin O, which connects theadj acent ends ofthe paired links G and link H (other than where they are connected bythe cross-rods) and projects. 7

through said clearer.

The buckets are secured directl r to the 4, it will be seen that itcomprises a cross plate or floor-piece P, having one sideedge Q curveddownwardly and provided with a notch R adjacent to each end. Saidnotches when the bucket member is secured to the paired links G byscrews or bolts which pass through openings S, formed in line with saidlinks at each end of the floors iece P, will straddle the single linksH, as 0 early shown in Fig. 3. Extending upwardly from each of thefloor-pieces P are wings or end pieces T, which are provided adjacent tothe floor member with beveled faces U, the purpose of which willhereinafter appear.

A cross wall or partition V extends u wardly from the floor P to oneside of t e middle'thereof, said partition being rigidly secured to theend walls. or wings T. The upper portion of said wall V is preferablypurved or turned over to a slight extent.

The other member forming a portion of the bucket is illustrated in Fig.6. Said member comprises a bottom or floor'W, provided with one curvededge X, in which are formed suitable notches Y and Z, that permit saidcurved ortionto fit over and around the paired inks G of the endlesschain. The member is also provided with upstanding end walls or wingsA','which are undercut, as are the wings orend pieces T of the othermember, the lower undercut portion being beveled, as shown at B.Openings C are formed in the floor W, and bolts or screws passingtherethrough secure the member to the links H. The floor W is madeslightly longer than the floorP, so that when the parts are assembledthe wings or end walls A pass outside of the wings or walls T. (SeeFigs. 2 and 3.) The parts are so proportioned that when the chain orconveyer is assing along the tracks the walls or wings over lap, as bestindicated, in dotted lines in Fig. 1, so as to form a series of buckets,which are defined by the vertical walls V, the end walls or wings T andA, and the floors P and W. By having the end walls undercut and beveledas shown, the lodgment of anymaterial between the ends is preventedasthey close after passing around the sprocket-wheel or drum or as theyshift their position inpassing up through an inclined or curved conduitor trunk, as the beveled portions will tend to force the material frombetween the parts into the buckets or to break up the material so as toprevent injury to the structure.

It is manifest that in so far as the construction of the driving-drum isconcerned thismay be materiall modified without departing from thespirit of the present invention, the essential feature of which residesin the particular construction and formation of the conveyer-buckets. Byhaving the upper edge of the wall V provided with an overpoint.

belt, as well as with endless chains.

the point of discharge and asses about the drum or sprocket-wheel ocatedat such The curved overhanging portions of the floors prevent any largeopenings being formed therein as they pass around the sprockets ordriving-drums, (see Fig. 1,) the center of the curve of such ortionsbeing coincident with the center-o1 the pivotal connections of the chainsections or links.

It is apparent that in so far as the particular construction of thebuckets is concerned the same may be employed with an endless In suchcase, however,'the rounded portion of the floors would have to beomitted.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In combinationwith an endless chain or belt, a series of buckets mounted thereon, eachbucket comprisinga series of sections secured to the chain or belt, saidsections having overl-a ping end walls provided with undercut beve edportions.

2. A conveyer comprising a pair of endless chains, each chain beingcomposed of a series of pivotally-connected links; a floor-piece securedto each pair of oppositely-disposed links, the forward edge of eachfloor-piece being curved downward and projecting under the straight edgeof the adjacent floorpiece; a vertically-disposed wall extendingupwardly from each alternate, floor-piece; and a wing or end wallprojecting upward from each end of each floor-piece, the wings beingundercut at their lower portions and provided with beveled faces,substantially as and for the purpose described.

' 3. An endless conveyer comprising a chain; a series of buckets mountedthereon; a

track; rolls for supporting said chain upon.

thereb a supporting-track; rolls mounted upon t e chain and resting uponthe track; and a clearer secured to the chain and resting upon thetrack, said clearer being provided with an inclined deflecting-face,substantially as described.

' 5. An endless conveyer comprising a chain; a series of buckets mountedthereon; a series of rolls for supporting said chain; tracks located inthe line of the upper and lower stretches of said chain; and a clearersecured to the chain, said clearer being provided with inclined faces atthe upper and lower sides thereof, whereby it will serve to removeextraneous material from both the upper and lower tracks.

6. An endless conveyer comprising a chain; a series of buckets carriedthereby;

IIO

rolls for supporting said chain; upper and lower tracks located in linewith the upper and lower stretches of the chain; and a clearer carriedby the chain, said clearer being of a height equal to the diameter ofthe rolls and v provided with faces adapted to deflect matescribed.

rial from the tracks, substantially as de- 7 In combination with anendless conveyer, and the supporting tracks or rails therefor; a clearerfor the supporting rails or tracks carried by the conveyer.

8. In combination with a driving-shaft; a series of toothed memberssecured thereto, the face between the oppositely-disposed teeth beinginclined outwardly to cause the discharge of any extraneous matter,substantially as described.

9. In combination with a driving-shaft; a series of members securedthereto, each member being provided with a pair ofoutwardly-extendingteeth spaced apart in line With the shaft; andinclined faces formed between the teeth, to cause the discharge ofextraneous matter from between the teeth.

10. In combination with a driving-shaft,

the outer edge of the body at each side of the teeth being beveled. orinclined so as to prevent accumulation of any matter thereon.

11. In combination with a driving-shaft, a block or casting securedthereto, said block being polygonal in cross-section and provided with apairof undercut or beveled faces; lugs extending outwardly from eachface thereof; a toothed member arrangedto be secured upon each face ofthe block, each of said members being provided on its under surface withbevel-faced recesses adapted to receive the corresponding lugs; and keysor wedges for securing the lugs in .the recesses.

In testimony whereof I have signed myname to. this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANCIS ANTON MARIE SMULDERS. Witnesses:

J. VooLIBooM, O. Y. DENT.

